This blog is about fairness; about looking at objects from multiple perspectives. Stable transformation comes only slowly; and only if the environment is free of sporadic jitters of passion and anger that destabilize growth. I strongly believe that the path to peace crosses through the battle with self.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Translated transcript of Part 6 of Hashemi's Friday Prayer speech July 17 2009

If you cite these transcripts please give reference to neo-resistance. These mullahs don't often use proper grammar, so I have tried to translate his speech in a grammatically correct manner that makes it understandable to someone who cannot fill in the Persian gaps! But I have stayed 99.9% close to his words (that doesn't mean I haven't made English errors though!).

"People have to choose the "Khobregan" [Assembly of experts which selects the supreme leader], and Khobregan the leader; i.e. it has to be created from people's vote. The president should be elected by people directly. The parliament should be elected by people directly. The city councils should be elected by people directly. And the people who are assigned to positions after that will be leaning on people's vote. It means this would be a people's government, this would be a religious government. The "Islamic Republic" is not a formal phrase, it [the government] is both Islamic and a Republic. The Islamic Republic is not a word, it is a reality that we have inherited from our beliefs, from our Koran, from the Hadith, from our saints from our prophet and we believe in their unison. They have to be together. Be sure that if either of these two [Islamic or republic] are damaged, we will lose that revolution. If it is not Islamic we will be heading to the abyss. If it is not a republic, then it will be essentially unattainable. Where people and their vote are absent, it is not an Islamic government; for the same reason that I said before, for the same reason that Imam Ali stayed home for 19 years until people came to him in huge numbers, in as many as the number of the strands of a horse's mane--as history goes--and sought his leadership; then he accepted it and accepted it with all it's problems. This has been our path. this is where we have to arrive. And this is what we have to reinforce on a daily basis. And this election, if it was free of troubles, it would have been the greatest step in thirty years in achieving the goals of our Islamic revolution. I am not saying we haven't but I want to ask why this happened.

From what I understand, and based on which I am seeking a solution is that towards the end of the election campaign some seeds of doubt were planted. For whatever reason, whether by wrong advertisements or by inappropriate actions of the state television [He explicitly names Seda o Seema] some planted the seeds of suspicion in people's minds. We consider doubt to be the worst of perils. [this is in fact a reference to a religious principle in Islam that considers doubt as the worst enemy of faith]

[... people start slogans and he asks them to be quiet.]

This doubt began eating up our people's souls. Of course there are two groups. One groups is stubborn and is standing and is doing what they want, and another group, which is not small and is a "laaaaarge" portion of the wide and erudite people of our society are saying that we doubt and we have to work hard to gain their trust.

Today is a bitter day, i.e. the events that unfolded after the election have created a bitter period. I don't think any one, any one from any of the parties wanted thing turning this way. Right now, we all have lost, all of us. Why should this have happened? Today we need unity more than ever. Our country needs to stand united in front of all these dangers that threaten us and those whose extortion have increased today and are pushing to set us back in our hi tech and nuclear achievements. Of course god won't let them but they are tempted.

My brothers, my sisters, you know me, you know that I have never used this tribune to support any factions. You know that I have acted above the party lines and I am doing the same now and I am not addressing any specific party. I am talking to everyone and in my opinion, together we have to think and find a solution to both advance our country and also to wipe the ugly and dangerous effects of the grudges that are emerging, and also to disappoint our enemies to not eye us greedily. What should we do to make this possible? I have a few suggestions which I have previously discussed with a few of my trustees in the Khobregan (Expert's assembly) and in the Expediency Council and this is the conclusion we have arrived at. I present these [suggestions] to you as solutions, may others [referring to Khamenei i think] reach the same conclusion and act upon them; such that hopefully with devotion [we can achieve this goal.]

Our main issue is to restore the faith that brought people out on the field in that [huge] scale; a faith that is tarnished a bit, today. It has to be our sacred goal to restore this trust. How? I will now say how. Take a note of these things:

1) We have to, all of us, be it the establishment, the government, the parliament, the security forces and the people, the so called protesters, we all have to move within the frames of law. If we break the boundaries of law, there won't be any other barriers. We have to express our problems legally and be content with the judgement of the law; our current law. Now if some people don't like the current law, then later they can find ways to challenge and reform and hopefully solve some of the problems that we just witnessed. But let's take the frame to be the law and all stick to it. That's one.

2) Of course the trust will not be restored over night as this is a long process. But we have to eventually create an atmosphere that all people can come and speak up their minds, and each side can express their opinion in a logical manner and without tension. Of course, this is the duty of Seda o Seema [the state TV] that has the largest audience. And other media have to do the same. discussions should be logical, sisterly and brotherly, sitting down and talking, each presenting their own evidence, and in this exchange people will be able to decipher what they need to know and they can be polled later. Unfortunately the opportunity to restore trust was lost by the Guardian council who was given 5 additional days to consult the legal and religious authorities to examine [the vote] to attract people's confidence. I don't want to say whose fault it was no, that that opportunity was lost. But it didn't happen. That opportunity passed. We are now in a different stage. I think for future, for our unity, for preventing dangers to the establishment and protecting the values that the revolution created, the glorious foundation that Imam and the martyr's blood and the struggles of the people who have tried in this path and the war veterans have left us, should be protected for the third and forth and later generations. f we accept these two solutions of staying in legal frames and opening the ways of discussion and debate perhaps in a short time we can reach satisfaction.

In the meantime we have to do other things too. It is not necessary to imprison any individuals under present labels [political] in current situation. Let these people [prisoners] join their families. Don't allow our enemies scorn us and humiliate us for imprisoning a few people. We need to have enough patience and courage to tolerate each other.

Next, our next issue is that we need to compensate and sympathize with the victims of the events that took place. We have to extend condolences to those who are mourning and soften their hearts. And this is doable, those who are believers of this system can quickly forgive us and give us their heart [oh yeah?], we have to do this with generosity ..."

10 comments:

"My brothers, my sisters, you know me, you know that I have never used this tribune to support any factions. You know that I have acted above the party lines and I am doing the same now and I am not addressing any specific party."

Rafsanjani is basically saying, look at me, my behavior is more in keeping with that of a Supreme Leader than Khamenei. I think that Rafsanjani has openly revealed his ambition to replace Khamenei with himself as Supreme Leader.

"I have a few suggestions which I have previously discussed with a few of my trustees in the Khobregan (Expert's assembly) and in the Expediency Council and this is the conclusion we have arrived at. I present these [suggestions] to you as solutions, may others [referring to Khamenei i think] reach the same conclusion and act upon them; such that hopefully with devotion [we can achieve this goal.]"

Here Rafsanjani is painting a line in the sand. He is saying to Khamenei that he must do the things "suggested", or face the possibility of being removed from the Supreme Leadership.

Naj, I remember a few days ago that we had a little discussion about Hashemi. I think his speech today is a very important event in the ongoing crisis. I am glad to read the words of Hashemi's speech (thanks for your translation!). However, I would suggest caution, as we still can't be sure of Hashemi's ultimate motivations. If he attains the Supreme Leadership position, what will he do with that power? I would like to think that he would rule wisely and temperately. But, as you reminded me, he was a party to a great deal of brutality in the past.

As you should know by now, yesterday when people were "conducted" bu the usual slogan-announcers to say "death to America" the chanted "death to russia"

Death-to-this death-to-that is not a wish for "wiping anyone out of existence" It is only a wish for wiping those out of Iran's affairs. Rhetorical, understand?

David, unmistakably he is saying that I have consulted some of the elite, and this is the solution! yup!

As for caution re Hashemi, no I disagree. HE is the most pragmatic and in so being courageous politician of Iran. He has tried to break many taboos in the past. I remember once he came to our university and suggested a practical way for young men and women to be able to date and have sex before marriage. There is a perfect Islamic solution to that! He was bood out of the university mosque!!

What could his motivations be??

what he is proposing is the ONLY sane solution for this. EVERYONE will win if his suggestions are followed. And for the sake of my country's history, I wish they take his advise SOON/FAST!

About Me

I am an Iranian woman. I am not an activist of any feminist cause, but my tales are those of the resilience of my country, half-filled with mothers, sisters, wives and lovers of different shades of creativity and participation. Here, I show a bit of how we resist, as men and women.